1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to percutaneous medical procedures and devices that can be used to close vessels, such as veins, and particularly to procedures and devices that close vessels by installing mechanical closures, such as sutures and/or clips.
2. Description of the Related Art
Percutaneous treatment of lower extremity venous insufficiency is a new, rapidly progressive part of interventional radiology practice. The prevalence of venous related diseases far exceeds that of arterial diseases. A variety of treatment options are used by interventional radiologists to treat venous insufficiency.
The current treatment options include endovascular laser, sclerotherapy, and phlebectomy. In many cases, however, these treatment options are not optimal. The current modalities are particularly suboptimal in treatment of incompetent perforator veins. The incompetent perforator veins are not candidates for laser therapy. Because the veins feed directly into the deep venous system, sclerotherapy is often suboptimal and dangerous. Other veins also are not ideal for conventional therapy due to the proximity to adjacent structures and due to patient related issues.
There is a need in the industry for improved percutaneous procedures for safely and rapidly closing veins and other vessels.